I have a weakness for Subway sandwiches. I try not to go too often, but it's really easy when I have ten bucks in my pocket to just swing by before work and pick up a foot long turkey breast on white, with the meal deal. $6.92 is always my total, and if they ever change their prices, I'll be in trouble.
Anyway, I went Subway a couple weeks ago, and decided I was going to go the next night as well. I had already ate my fill of Uncle Ben's Rice Bowls for the week; I needed a change. I was running a minute or so behind schedule and I had to get gas as well, so I was hoping to swing through really quickly on my way to work. To my dismay, there was a couple ahead of me, and the guy hadn't even surfaced from the back room to help them. I got in, and soon the guy came and the lady ordered her sandwich, a six inch vegetable sub on white. (Yes, this is important to my story, hang in there.)
The guy told her that they had over baked their bread, and the white was as hard as a rock. He even demonstrated by knocking it with the knife, and sure enough, it practically pinged, so he encouraged her to get wheat. She did, and he asked her what she wanted on her sandwich. She ordered, now get this, it's the turning point, cheese and Mayo. That's it. A vegetable sub with no vegetables. A two dollar or so sub, and all she wanted was cheese and Mayo (quite a bit of Mayo, actually). The guy made sure that's really what she wanted, and she said yes, kind of laughing at his incredulity.
So you know what that really kind hearted Subway guy did? He just gave her the sandwich free of charge. She tried to object, of course, saying that she felt dishonest or something, but he persisted, saying it was almost $2 for a vegetable sub, and all she ordered on it was cheese and Mayo, so it was no problem. She took it, saying thank you (I think) and headed out.
Next it was my turn. I ordered my usual, and he reiterated the stuff about the white bread being hard, so I gave in and got wheat. Explaining that the white bread was fresh, but they had just left it in the oven too long, he cut my wheat and got the meat flopped on in that neat design that they do. He asked me what I wanted on my sandwich, and I told him, lettuce, pickles, and olives, and then for my condiments, Mayo and mustard. As he wrapped my sandwich he asked me if I wanted anything else, and I told him I'd like the meal deal, Fritos and a soda to go with it. He got them, and I had my $10 out in my hot little hand, ready to say the price along with him in my head as he read it from his screen, when he threw me for a loop. He said that since he had given the previous customer her sandwich for free he would just give me mine for free too.
I protested. I told him that he didn’t have to give me my sandwich for free, and that I realized the situation was a special one for the cheese sandwich lady. I told him he didn't have to do that for me, but he insisted and mentioned the terrible night he had endured so far. He said that it was finally getting better though, and I think I said something about that being all that mattered. He left, walking behind the wall separating the restaurant from what I assume is a dishwasher room and an office. I filled my soda, and walked out, and as I did the Subway guy who made my sandwich came out from behind the office/employee only door into the general store to fill his soda. And you know what I did?
I did nothing. I never said thank you, or asked him his name so I could send his manager a letter complimenting his service, or anything. I was raised by my parents to have good manners, to say please and thank you, and I didn't make any move to thank the sandwich man. A guy I don’t even know went out of his way to do something nice for me, risking getting in trouble for giving away free meals, and I didn’t even say thank you.
This whole experience has really made me think about myself, and how I treat others on a usual basis. I’ve realized that in the future, I need to take more initiative. Even though I may be nervous or shy, I need to jump forward and treat others with the respect and courtesy that they deserve. I’ve also noticed how I feel when someone thanks me for something I’ve done for them. It’s a real moral booster, even if all that was done was holding open a door. And I realized that need to pass that on to others. The smallest thank you, after all, could make someone’s day. To know you’re appreciated is one of the best feelings in the world. |
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